VISTA Program Manager

About L.A. Works: L.A. Works unites Angelenos and inspires action to help create a more equitable LA. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on service, we create and manage hands on programming mobilizing volunteers throughout the greater Los Angeles area to address the needs of vulnerable Angelenos. We seek enthusiastic, experienced individuals who share our passion for service and civic pride.

About AmeriCorps VISTA: Founded in 1965, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) is a federal anti-poverty national service program. VISTA members serve full-time for one year at nonprofit organizations and public agencies, building organizational capacity so those organizations can better fight poverty and mobilize their communities. VISTA members build systems, recruit volunteers, develop partnerships, and create sustainable infrastructure that outlasts their year of service.

For L.A. Works, the VISTA program builds capacity for our nonprofit partners by expanding their volunteer infrastructure. Each VISTA member placed at a host site is a capacity builder working to strengthen that organization’s ability to recruit, manage, and engage volunteers. As the program continues to grow each year, it will directly contribute to advancing our organization’s strategic goal of reaching 500,000 volunteer service hours annually by 2035.

About the Role: While the Director manages external partnerships and program growth, the VISTA Program Manager leads the relationships and systems that keep the approximately 30 VISTA members connected, compliant, and equipped to succeed, including: member recruitment, orientation, training, day-to-day support, member compliance monitoring, data systems, and member reporting. The Manager runs a full member lifecycle end-to-end, from posting a recruitment listing through exit surveys. Alongside the VISTA Leader(s), the VISTA Program Manager is the architect of member compliance systems that protect the grant, and facilitator of the members’ experience, from day one to end of the term exit.

Essential Job Functions: The following list is not comprehensive; it is intended to provide a representative summary of the position’s primary responsibilities. Incumbents may not be required to perform all roles listed and may be required to perform additional, position specific tasks.

Member Recruitment & Selection

• Develop and execute a full-cycle annual VISTA recruitment strategy to support the recruitment and placement of a cohort of up to 30 VISTA members.
• Manage the posting and promotion of VISTA service opportunities through the My AmeriCorps Portal, Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other relevant recruitment platforms.
• Lead and oversee the VISTA recruitment and selection process in collaboration with VISTA Leader(s)
• Manage the candidate offer and acceptance process, including communicating offers and next steps through email and completing required actions in the My AmeriCorps Portal.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for incoming VISTA members throughout the preservice and onboarding process, providing guidance on AmeriCorps requirements, documentation, deadlines, and preparation for service.
• Coordinate the onboarding and orientation process for incoming VISTA members to support a successful transition into service.
• Represent the VISTA program at recruitment events, including career fairs, community events, campus outreach opportunities, and other relevant recruitment activities.
• Track and analyze recruitment metrics, including time-to-fill, offer acceptance rates, applicant pipeline health, recruitment sources, and other key indicators; provide updates and insights to the VISTA Director to inform recruitment strategy and planning.

Member Orientation, Training & Monthly Development

• Lead new member orientation for each incoming cohort, ensuring members understand VISTA’s anti-poverty mission, their capacity-building role, and L.A. Works’ volunteer mobilization goals.
• Develop and deliver monthly VISTA member meetings as substantive professional development sessions.
• Align member training curriculum with L.A. Works’ volunteer management best practices; coordinate with the Director on joint training delivery with other L.A. Works programs.
• Lead the annual VISTA member retreat including design, logistics, content, and follow through.
• Build and maintain training resources for ongoing professional development; conduct exit surveys and use results to improve programming.
• Manage the VISTA Leader(s) to extend the member support network.

Member Support & Retention

• Serve as the primary day-to-day support contact for ~30 VISTA members throughout their year of serv